Counting Kisses
by displacedtexan
Summary: Naoki marries Sahoko, and Kotoko eventually finds love with another. Non-canon pairing. Expansion and continuation of "How Many Kisses?" FOLLOWUP STORY: Secret Kisses.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N1: The response to my one-shot "How Many Kisses?" was unexpectedly positive, with several people wanting to hear more about this unusual couple. Since I had saved my early lengthy attempt at the story, I decided to restart, expand and continue it. Again, if you didn't like the first one, don't bother with this.**

 **A/N2: I do not own Itazura na kiss. Frankly, I'm not even sure Tada-sensei would claim this iteration.**

* * *

Society magazines billed it as the "Wedding of the Decade": the romantic story of attractive lovers who met when their family firms merged the year before. Gossip in the back rooms revealed another version, one that included the bridegroom being part of the deal, but talebearers made sure not to speak too loudly near Chairman Oizumi.

The bride was as exquisite as a ceramic doll, her make-up precisely applied and the embroidery on her gown reputedly the work of many thousands of hours. Her mother was also completely composed, a true Yamato nadeshiko. The only dissonance in the otherwise flawlessly orchestrated spectacular was the behavior of the groom's mother. Not content with discreetly wiping away a single tear during the ceremony (as did her counterpart), she soaked at least half a dozen handkerchiefs that had been stowed in her small evening bag. This human touch was made much of by the gossip rags; little did they know that her tears were not those of joy.

* * *

Aihara Kotoko was not in attendance. She and her father had moved out of the Irie home months before the final preparations were underway. Her room in their apartment became her refuge, and she spent more nights than she cared to remember in tears, crying herself to sleep. Finally, her friends Satomi and Jinko managed to drag her out. Although she had missed too many days of classes to pass that term's courses, they encouraged her to attend some of the meetings of _their_ interest circles; Kotoko could no longer even look in the direction of the tennis courts. After a few such endeavors, she began refusing their invitations. It both depressed and shamed her to see her loyal friends so happy with their boyfriends. She was afraid that feelings of jealousy would seep through and did not want to make her friends further unhappy because of her.

Even Matsumoto searched her out. She first offered sympathy which evolved into bracing encouragement. A few days after the wedding—to which she had been invited—she showed up again. "Aihara, you must snap out of this. It is over and done with."

"How did he look?" Kotoko asked her softly.

"Like a mannequin from a department store. An extremely handsome one, to be sure," she added with a sigh, for she too had held dreams of a happily ever after with Naoki. "He showed no emotion whatsoever, and all she did was glow quietly. At least if it had been _you_ , Aihara, the ceremony would have been lively."

"Yeah," Kotoko snorted despite herself. "I probably would have tripped going down the aisle!"

"That's more like it!" Matsumoto gave her a bracing slap between the shoulder blades. "Every laugh you make will heal you a little. So find what will make you happy and laugh, and get on with your life."

"Thank you, Matsumoto-san." Kotoko smiled up at her then laughed again. "Whoever thought that we would be talking like this two years ago?"

* * *

Kotoko took her advice to heart and began to vacate her room of tearful memories for hours at a time. Evenings she started making sporadic appearances at her father's restaurant, working as a server when needed. There was a rocky period of time rebuilding her friendship with Kinnosuke, his feelings still tender from her refusal of his marriage proposal. His abortive attempt to embrace her and her cry for Naoki had revealed to her that he was definitely _not_ the one who could heal her heart. It took longer for the stubborn Osakan, but eventually he accepted that friendship was all she was offering.

The work helped, for the busy evenings left her no time for stray thoughts, and during slow periods her father's regular patrons engaged her in conversation. Having practically watched her grow up, their avuncular teasing gave her more reasons to smile. And if the smile faded whenever they suggested some son or nephew that she should date, no one mentioned it in front of her.

During the day she found it comforting to sit in a nearby park. There she could observe people from all walks of life: children with their parents or babysitters; youths playing with balls or disks; people walking or playing with their pets; college students holding philosophical discussions. After several weeks of watching others engaged in their daily activities, she sighed and decided it was time to visit the campus administrative offices.

* * *

Kotoko walked home through that same park with various pamphlets acquired from the guidance department. It was time for her to settle down and decide on a career, but her mind was muddled. All of her previous dreams of her employment future had been based on whatever she had thought might interest Naoki. Without that rudder to guide her, she felt set adrift. Thus distracted by trying to think and walk at the same time—never a smart move where she was concerned—she was oblivious to the rapid approach behind her until it was too late.

 _Oof!_ She lay spread-eagled on the ground, face down. "What bulldozer hit me?" she asked, raising her head. Immediately she felt like a vehicle in an automatic car wash. A large tongue smeared doggy saliva all over her face and surrounding areas. "Ew!"

"Sorry! I'm sorry! He got away from me— _Kotoko?_ "

"Yuuki-kun?" she asked incredulously. "And—Chibi? Get away! That tickles!" She shoved at the massive head slobbering on her neck.

"That's right, you never did warm up to Chibi, did you?" he said while dragging the dog off her.

"I think he senses my fear and tries to torment me more." She rose, brushing herself off and wiping away the saliva, keeping herself well distant of the panting, eager canine.

"Here," he bent down, "let me pick up your papers." He gathered the scattered brochures as he scolded the dog. "Bad Chibi! How many times have I told you to not knock people over?"

"For me, probably never!" Kotoko grinned at him. "You always thought it was pretty funny whenever he did that. Come to think of it," she placed a finger under her chin, "it probably looked that way."

Yuuki stared at her then blinked. "Yeah, it did. But it wasn't too nice of me to laugh."

"Don't be silly." She waved off his semi-apology. "I know I'm a klutz from a long time ago. Come on, sit down with me for a few minutes so I can catch my breath."

He complied and handed her the straightened papers, all corners perfectly aligned. "Stay, Chibi!" he commanded, then fell silent, not sure what conversational topics were appropriate for this meeting.

Kotoko also appeared at a loss for words. She tucked hair that had been loosened by the St. Bernard's greeting back under the band then took a deep breath and turned to him. "So, how are Obasama and Irie-sama?"

Yuuki played with the dog's leash. "They're doing...well, I suppose. Mom is trying hard to get along with Sahoko-san and Dad is restless now that he's cleared to go back to work. Of course, with Onii-chan in the office, there's not that much room for two bosses. Three, if you count Oizumi-sama, and you definitely have to count him."

"Yes," Kotoko sighed and leaned back, hugging her knees to her chest. "I miss them, but I know that I would be in the way if I tried to see them. It might make it more difficult for Sahoko-san. But," she turned to him with a cheery smile, "that doesn't apply to you, now does it?"

"Me?" He looked startled. "No, I guess not."

"So," she patted him on the shoulder, "drop by Dad's restaurant some evening. I'll treat you to a meal."

"Any particular time?" he asked after a pause.

"No. I'm usually there. I'm waitressing, earning tips for next term." She waved the papers at him.

He nodded. "I just might do that."


	2. Chapter 2

It took several weeks for Yuuki to make an appearance. Kinnosuke immediately began muttering imprecations about "Irie this" and "Irie that", but Kotoko's father welcomed him with open arms. As she watched him overload Yuuki with more food than one person could eat in a sitting, she couldn't help but regret that the situation had come to the point that he and his old friend Irie could not meet openly. It was especially hard on him after living in the same house for over three years.

While Kotoko packed up Yuuki's leftovers (or, as she suspected, secret food gifts to Mr. and Mrs. Irie), she teased him, "Don't be a stranger. It's good to see a familiar face." She glanced toward the kitchen. "I haven't seen Otosan this happy in weeks."

He frowned before replying, "Well, next time I come, I'm paying. I can't be a freeloader all the time."

She laughed. "Didn't you call us freeloaders when we stayed at your house? Turnabout's fair play."

Flustered, he looked at the floor. "I shouldn't have said that. Not only did you pay us rent, but you were a part of our family."

"Aw, Yuuki-kun!" she mussed his hair, while blinking suspiciously. "How sweet!"

He peered closely at her face, not having to look very far up any more. "You aren't _crying_ , are you?"

She sniffed then rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. "It's either that or hug you, and I didn't think you'd like _that_."

He blushed beet red. "Well, well," he pointed at her, "just be sure to wash that hand before serving anyone else, you baka!" Then hunching his shoulders, he carried the bag of food out of the restaurant.

Kotoko smiled. _You may be acting nicer, but you can still be a little brat, can't you?_ she thought. She shouted at the now-closed door, "I know to wash my hands!"

* * *

Despite their bickering words, he soon became a regular, showing up every month at first, but the visits soon became almost weekly. In this way a form of communication between the two households was forged without upsetting the feelings of the newlyweds. Indeed, his parents wholeheartedly supported his visits and stayed up for him each night for the latest news. If his older brother ever wondered about Yuuki's frequent absences from the dinner table, he never verbalized it. His sister-in-law, of course, accepted all as normal.

Kotoko was beginning to slowly get back into the college social scene. Despite inexplicable hounding from Sudo, who knew quite well how lacking she was in athletic skill, she refused to return to the Tennis Team. Instead, she joined the Debate Club after visiting it with Satomi, whose boyfriend Ryo was a star member. Although she never won any of her arguments, she enjoyed being around people who had not been eyewitnesses to her romantic misadventures. Several of the members asked her on dates, and, at the urging of Satomi and Jinko, she accepted. There were few that were allowed to take her out more than once. Although she longed for sparks to fly, there were none, and so dinnertime work at her father's restaurant continued.

One slow evening, Yuuki observed Kotoko wrestling with an English assignment between serving guests. Snatching the paper from her, he began, with some of his past acerbity, "Why are you still taking the advanced course, baka?" Kotoko, with a slight laugh, explained that dropping back to the standard course would actually make her take extra classes to get to where she was now, since the advanced track courses were so far ahead. After thinking on it for about fifteen seconds, he announced that _he_ , a middle school student, would tutor _her,_ a college student.

And so new Irie-Aihara tutoring sessions began in one of the back booths of the restaurant. Mr. Aihara often wondered if he could get away with charging an entertainment fee on those evenings. Their voices would frequently be raised in name-calling, and small amounts of money were exchanged over how many times pencils or papers would be thrown. Even Kinnosuke was caught snickering and, not only that, was heard to say that Yuuki was "not bad for an Irie".

* * *

Since Yuuki refused any payment for his tutoring help—not even free food—Kotoko began begging him to go to the movies or other activities with her. He narrowed his eyes after the third such invitation but did not say anything directly until her face was nose-deep in cotton candy at a festival. "Are you trying to reimburse me for our restaurant sessions?"

"What?! Why, uh, how did you come to that conclusion?" she sputtered.

He shook his head and took her hand to lead her to a fountain, where he wet his handkerchief and wiped her sticky face. "You're way too obvious, you know," he informed her. "Plus, my teaching is worth a heck of a lot more than these little outings."

She pouted at being so easily found out. "Maybe I just wanted some company. It's no fun to come alone."

He rinsed his handkerchief and went over her face again. "What about your friends from high school? Baka One and Baka Two?"

Kotoko snorted. "You insult me! I thought _I_ was Baka One!"

"You're in a whole category all your own," Yuuki said as he sat down on the fountain's edge and pulled her down beside him. He shoved his shoulder into hers and continued the interrogation. "So why am I your number one choice for company?"

"Well," she looked at the lanterns swaying above them, "Satomi and Jinko are always doing things with their boyfriends. Although we sometimes have 'girl nights', when it comes to movies and stuff like this," she waved her hand around to indicate the festival, "they're usually with Ryo-kun and Junpei-kun."

"How about, you know, guys your age? Like Kin-baka from your dad's restaurant? You've known him a while."

Kotoko slanted him a look. She had told very few people the full story of Kinnosuke's courtship. "I really can't. There are some roads you should never travel twice." She sighed. "He's well on his way to getting over me. If I asked for his company, I would be offering him false hope."

"Okay, then, what about that guy you dated last year? The younger one that liked you? Didn't you say you met up with him again in that debate club you joined?"

"You mean Taketo?" she snorted. "He has an on-again, off-again romance with Matsumoto the Younger. He asks me out whenever they have a tiff, but I'm not going to get between those two. Frankly, I'm more scared of her than I ever was of her big sister."

Yuuki chuckled. "Yeah, they were a bit ferocious when they visited me in the hospital."

"Ferocious," Kotoko mused. "Matsumoto would like that description."

"Come on, girl!" he nudged her again. "Surely there's someone out there. I mean, lack of intelligence aside—ow!—you're not bad looking. Actually," he leaned over to look closely at her, "you're kind of cute."

"Be still my heart," Kotoko replied sarcastically. "That's not exactly what you've been telling me for the past four years."

"Ah," he averted his gaze, "you kind of grew on me."

"That makes me sound like a moss," she complained.

"Or fungus, lichen, mold, algae…"

"Stop it!" she cried, laughing as she batted at him. "Stop showing off your Irie brains."

He stood and held out his hand. "Okay. I'll quit trying to set you up with men, so let's finish eating our way through this festival."

"You're on!" she agreed as she rose and took his hand. "Next stop—kakigori!"


	3. Chapter 3

Yuuki hauled himself out of the pool after his twenty laps and quickly showered off the chlorine. A teammate clambered out a few seconds later. "Irie!"

He stopped rubbing his wet hair and turned at the call. "What's up, Harada?"

"I saw you at the festival last Saturday."

"Really?" He sat down and began drying between each toe.

"Yeah! So tell me, who was she?" Harada sat down beside his friend.

"She?" Yuuki paused, then grinned. "No one you'd know."

"Well, yeah, she's not a student here. Does she go to Shoin Middle School? Or maybe Asano?"

"Give it up." He stood and walked to the locker room.

Undeterred, the other boy trailed behind him. "Are you dating her?"

"Hardly," he snorted.

"Then introduce me!" he pleaded. "She looks just like my type!"

Yuuki looked Harada up and down derisively. "Believe me, she's not."

* * *

In early autumn, chilly breezes swept through the park one late afternoon. Yuuki turned to Kotoko after the seventh sigh that she heaved. "Okay, I get it. Something's wrong. So are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?"

Kotoko wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "It's school."

Yuuki leaned back against Chibi's forward motion. The dog had already done his "business," so he could be still for awhile. "Let's sit down." He led her to a bench. "Now, stop being mopey and let it out, or I'll have Chibi tickle you into submission. Your neck, right?"

"That and my sides. But you keep control of the beast. I'll spill without threats."

"Grades, again?"

Kotoko gave him a half smile and absently rubbed behind Chibi's ears. Several months of forced contact had gotten her used to the St. Bernard. "No. Thanks to you I'm doing fine in class. It's just that I'm falling behind everyone else."

"Ah." Yuuki tilted back his head. "That semester where you lost credits."

Her bottom lip protruded. "I was a little behind even before then. Now Satomi and Jinko are going to graduate and go out into the world before me."

He reached out an arm and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Kotoko. You'll get there in the end."

"But that's just it!" she exclaimed and, to his discomfort, burst into tears. "I _still_ don't know what I want to do after graduation!"

"No idea?" he asked while fumbling in his jacket pocket for a handkerchief.

"No." She blew her nose then sniffed. "I was always thinking that I would choose a career that would keep me close to," she hesitated, "your brother. I never really thought about what _I_ wanted to do."

He rubbed his neck while looking into the distance. "So, whatever career goals you once held have disappeared, and now you feel totally lost?"

"That makes it sound better than what I really am—just a wishy-washy person who can't think for herself."

"Number one," Yuuki ordered while placing his hand firmly on top of her head, "stop talking about yourself like that."

She looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded.

"Number two, keep your eyes open and you'll find your own way. Just because others know what they want to do with their lives already doesn't mean that you won't know eventually."

"Even if—"

Yuuki placed a hand over her mouth. "No negative thinking! Understand?" She nodded again. "I'll think about it also. After all, I've known you for almost five years now."

* * *

Sure enough, a few weeks later Yuuki showed up at the restaurant and smacked her over the head with an employment flyer.

"What's this?" she asked, rubbing her head.

"One of those tour companies that caters to anime-crazy Americans," he replied caustically.

"So?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"They want to experience the world they've viewed on the television. Karaoke, cat cafés, purikura—you've dragged me to all of these in the past few months, haven't you?"

"Well, yes." She stared at him. "Wait, you don't mean—"

"Look, you may not be able to come up with a good enough argument to win even one debate, but you're good at talking. Goodness knows there were enough times when I first met you that I tried to shut you up."

"Smartass," she muttered.

"And, thanks to me, your English is better than most. Go ahead, try it out! You get to meet new people and show them your favorite places."

"It does sound like fun," she said slowly, reading through the brochure.

"Plus, it's a growing field," he added. "If you like it well enough, you could probably purchase your own franchise— _if_ you could get a loan."

"Why, you little—" She wrestled him close, an arm around his neck. Only those nearby heard her say, "Thanks, Yuuki-kun."

* * *

To say that Kotoko took to the touring business like a duck to water would be an understatement. Because of her rave reviews on the company website, she was the highest requested guide in the franchise to the point that several months later she ended up moaning about her success. "I don't have time for studying if I take all the jobs!" she complained.

While her father and Kinnosuke had just stood around scratching their heads with no solution, Yuuki, when told about it later, swallowed his soft drink and said, "Then take fewer courses."

"What?!"

"Do you like the tour work?" he asked.

"Yes, but I'm already behind in graduating as it is! Now it will take even longer." While she spewed forth along these same lines, Yuuki began writing on a sheet torn from his composition book.

"Okay," he interrupted her, "you'll only graduate a year and a half behind with this schedule. We'll plug in several business management courses—I'll get with Dad tomorrow and pick the best ones—and you continue working and saving your salary." Kotoko bent over his notes. "By the time you graduate, your savings should be enough to convince the bank to loan you enough money to purchase a franchise of your own. This way you can set your hours plus have the background knowledge to be able to hire and manage other employees in the future."

"My own business?" Her eyes were as wide as a shoujo manga heroine. "Employees?"

"Sure," he replied offhandedly. "You've told me yourself that you've found other destinations that you're not permitted to use because they're not contracted with the firm. This way you can tailor your own tours, using places that _you_ think your customers would enjoy seeing. Of course," he added, "you and I might have to do some reconnoitering."

"Re-what?"

"Checking out new places, timing visits, et cetera. That is, if you'd want me along."

"Want you?" She flung her arms around him. "I don't think I could do it without you, Yuuki-kun! My own business!" she repeated as she sat back, mouth agape, staring at the café ceiling.

He pushed her chin up. "Don't just sit there and catch flies. Let's go check out some of those places you were interested in before I have to go to the pool."

"I could have specialized shopping trips, a dessert crawl to all the cafés, maybe even overnight excursions…"

"One step at a time," he said, laughing, as he took her hand to drag her from the restaurant, her head still in the clouds.


	4. Chapter 4

Shortly before Kotoko's delayed university graduation, Pandai opened an American office in New York. Naoki was appointed director, and he, Sahoko and their child moved into the Oizumi apartments there. As this resulted in a major realignment of the organizational structure, Yuuki's semi-weekly informal "internship" sessions with his father became official and more frequent. Because of that, Kotoko saw him less often and found that she missed his company and his advice.

On the other hand, to their mutual delight, she and Mrs. Irie were finally reunited. While Mr. Irie had several times (unknown to his wife) slipped out for coffee with his old friend, Mrs. Irie had been pressed by loyalty to her daughter-in-law. Now with that person far out of reach, she could finally spend time with her "daughter of the heart", and once more the Irie home was filled with the boisterous laughs of Kotoko and her friends.

* * *

True to Yuuki's prediction, Kotoko was easily able to acquire business financing after graduation. As a matter of fact, Mr. Irie produced the paperwork for a personal loan from him at her party that evening. While Kotoko shed tears of happiness, Mrs. Irie scolded Yuuki for such an unimaginative gift.

"What?" he asked, as he handed Kotoko a handkerchief. "She likes it, doesn't she?"

Despite Mrs. Irie's dissatisfaction with the actual gift, she had great fun with its aftermath. She and Kotoko spent hours finding an office space and decorating it, although the older woman was stymied several times by Kotoko's insistence on seeking her younger son's approval. Several times trenchant comments of his caused Kotoko to discard well-developed plans and start over from scratch.

"I can't believe you're taking that boy's advice over mine, Kotoko-chan!" she exclaimed after her garish sign design had been shot down.

"Yuuki-kun has very good business sense!" she countered. "After all, he learned from Ojisama, didn't he? And wasn't this entirely his idea? Age shouldn't matter at all, as long as the advice is sound."

* * *

Satomi was awed when Mrs. Irie offered to host a baby shower for her shortly before the grand opening.

"Wow, Kotoko," she inquired, "how did stinky Irie-kun turn out the way he did with a mom like that? She's the best!"

Kotoko laughed. "Probably _because_ of her! She can be scary at times, so he just rebelled against her dictates."

Jinko chewed on a fruit stick. "It doesn't bother you to still be friends with his mom and the rest of the family? I mean, he did break your heart and all."

"Broken? Maybe I thought so for a long time," she admitted. "Now it's more like it's got some nicks and cracks."

"But you're still not dating anyone!" Jinko protested.

"I've dated!" she argued. "Just not lately. And I haven't ruled it out for the future—I just can't do it now. After all," she added, "I've got a business to launch next week."

"Hah!" Satomi snorted, adjusting her position to give the baby more room. "I'll believe you're dating when I see it."

"Right," Jinko agreed, "especially since Irie Junior takes up most of your spare time."

"Yeah. People are going to get the wrong idea about you two."

"What do you mean?" Kotoko asked blankly. "He's my friend and business advisor."

Jinko leaned toward Satomi and whispered, "She didn't get a sugar daddy, she got a sugar baby!"

* * *

"Two minutes, one second!" Kotoko called to the young man in the pool.

"All right!" Yuuki shoved the goggles to his forehead. "I'm going to do a couple of slow laps to cool off, then I'll get out." When Kotoko waved her acknowledgement, he carefully replaced them and slipped into an easy rhythm, cutting through the water cleanly.

He scowled a few minutes later when he exited the pool to find his teammates crowded around the young woman with the stopwatch and clipboard. They had arrived at the facilities extra early so that Kotoko could make it to her first tour group in time and also to prevent encounters such as this.

"Bug off, you lechers!" he chided as he picked up a towel. Walking past the groaning young men, he nodded at an amused Kotoko. "It'll only take a few minutes for me to shower. If any of these imbeciles pesters you, just shove him in the pool and drown him with the pole over there."

Kotoko laughed. "I think I can handle high school boys now!"

"I don't know." He glanced back at his teammates acting the fool near the edge. "These aren't the finest mannered students at Tonan." Shaking a reminder fist at them, he disappeared into the dressing room.

To his relief, everyone else was in the water when he returned, chlorine-lightened hair still slightly damp as he brushed it out of his eyes.

"Aw, Irie!" one of them called. "Can't she stay and time us?"

"Yeah! Why do _you_ get special treatment?"

"Captain! Order Irie to practice with us!"

One student ceased his warm-up lap and treaded water. "Irie actually took the time to request an early practice. Since I can depend on _him_ to do it properly, I agreed that he needed no supervision."

"What?!" "Are you claiming we're unreliable?"

The captain shook his head. "If a bird waddles and quacks, would you not name it a duck? But since you buffoons are so eager to have a lady monitor your progress…" the students began cheering, but too soon "...I'll be happy to invite my grandmother to watch over us the rest of the school break."

Yuuki laughed as he slung an arm across Kotoko's shoulders and led her out to howls of dismay and disapproval.

"Why don't they like his grandmother?" Kotoko asked.

"Besides not being young and attractive like you," she gave him a shove, "she ogles us constantly and loudly bemoans the fact that swimmers don't wear minuscule speedos any more in competition."

"Ew!" Kotoko shuddered. "I remember seeing a few of those at the beach last year. And usually on people who shouldn't be wearing them!" She slid a sideways glance at him. Of course, that style would look all right on some bodies… She shook her head to banish the sudden image and noticed that he was running his hand over his hair once more. She reached up to help. "Is it sticking up again?"

"Can't you see?" he queried.

"Not unless you bend down. When did you get so tall?" she scolded while rummaging through her purse. "I only have this flower pin. I don't suppose you'd like to use it to flatten your hair?"

He snorted. "Not if I'm going out in public! I still have to stock the refrigerator before Mom and Dad's plane touches down at the airport."

Kotoko laughed. The past month Yuuki had been taking all of his meals with the Aiharas. "I suppose your Mom will have about five photo albums of the new grandbaby already printed out."

"I just hope this one is livelier than the first," he complained. "Even little Yuki has more personality than Shiko, and she's two years younger than him."

"Well," Kotoko said prosaically, "considering that Shiko-chan's parents are such stick-in-the muds, he's lucky to have any personality at all!"

"Yeah," he laughed shortly, "Onii-chan sure knows how to pick them. Uh, sorry," he said, glancing down at her.

"No need to apologize," Kotoko assured him. "Besides, Yuki-chan has her Aunt Kotoko's example to follow."

"Poor Satomi-san!" Yuuki proclaimed in a mournful tone.

"Satomi-san?" She elbowed him in the ribs. "It wasn't that long ago that she was Baka One. Or was it Two?"

"C'mon, I was young then," he protested.

"And a smartass," Kotoko added. "Oh wait, you're still one of those!"


	5. Chapter 5

En route to the annual Irie/Aihara beach vacation, Kotoko, recalling the teasing and flirting of the swim team members, began to ask Yuuki about girls. "Are you going to be like your big brother and totally ignore them all the way through high school?" she inquired. When he only rolled his eyes at her, she persisted. "You're in your last year now. Hasn't anyone confessed to you yet?"

He scowled at her. "Where'd this third degree come from?"

She sat back on the seat next to him, deflated. "I just thought that you might have wanted to bring someone along to play with this summer. It must be boring, hanging out with the old folks all the time."

"Stop aging yourself, Kotoko." He grinned at her. "If I wanted to invite someone else along, I would." He could almost see his mother's ears quiver in the seat ahead of them. "As it so happens," he drawled, "I do have a girl I like," he turned to Kotoko, all breathless with anticipation, "but I haven't told her yet."

"Aw!" Her bottom lip protruded. "That's not much of an improvement over Irie-kun."

"Don't worry." He ruffled her hair. "I'm not as slow as he was. I'll tell her when the time is right."

* * *

After a particularly refreshing combination swim-and-water-fight with Kotoko, Yuuki joined his mother under her giant umbrella while the younger woman headed to a beachfront food stand. His mind turned to the conversation in the train. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, dear?" she replied from behind her oversized shades.

"Why have you never nagged me about dating girls like you did Onii-chan?"

Mrs. Irie let out a dramatic sigh. "Well, doing _that_ didn't work out so well, did it?"

"Mmm." Yuuki gave a noncommittal response.

"I hurt too many people," his mother continued. "I've learned my lesson."

"Don't beat yourself up so much. Onii-chan and Sahoko-san are still getting along well, aren't they?"

"Yes," she replied, her hands fumbling with the bow under her chin, "but since I raised such expectations with dear Kotoko-chan, I think I have as much responsibility as Onii-chan for breaking her heart."

Yuuki looked at her directly. "Kotoko is pretty resilient. Don't kick yourself about this forever."

"I suppose so." She cupped Yuuki's face with her hands. "But when you finally get around to telling that person that you like her, bring her home to meet me. I'll try not to interfere too much."

"Mom," he laughed, "what are you saying? You were born a busybody!"

* * *

Mrs. Irie complained about that remark later to her husband and Kotoko's father when the younger members of their group were on the beach for the fireworks. "It's just that I care about my children's futures. Is there any problem with that?"

"Well, dear…"

"If that child doesn't appreciate my restraint, then I guess I'll have to regress. Wait, though!" She posed with two fingers touching her temple dramatically. "I need to make it up to Kotoko-chan before worrying about Yuuki-kun!"

"Ah, missus—"

She ignored Mr. Aihara's attempt to forestall her. "She's attractive, vivacious, plus a successful young career woman." She turned and pointed to her husband. "Is she still unaware that you're not accepting her loan repayments?"

"I've created an investment account for her with the funds," Mr. Irie assured her. "Our son has advised me not to tell her until she 'thinks' she is free of debt. That way she'll have a nice pot of money to use for business expansion or to purchase a house."

"Purchase a house!" Mrs. Irie was scornful. "She wouldn't need to do that if she would just get married! Come on, you two, make yourselves useful. Don't you know any young man that would suit her?"

Mr. Aihara shook his head. "All of my employees are too old, too young, or too entangled already. And that girl doesn't exactly care for matchmakers. She turned down lots of offers several years ago from some of my patrons."

Mrs. Irie snapped her fingers. "That was then, this is now! She's not getting any younger. Now, Papa," he visibly winced when she focused her attention on him, "you have lots of young executives at Pandai. Let me look through your employee files when we get back."

"Mama—!"

"What do you think they're fussing about now?" Kotoko asked as they stood outside the suite's door. Loud voices could easily be heard.

"Probably either you or me. I recognize Mom's tone of voice." Yuuki shook his head. "I knew her forbearance was too good to last."

Kotoko nodded her head in agreement. "Let's make some noise when we enter to break their concentration."

* * *

Unfortunately for Kotoko, once an idea got stuck in Mrs. Irie's head, it was well and truly stuck. At the Irie Christmas party, she dragged Yuuki out of the ballroom and into the hall.

"What's up, Kotoko?" he asked, while sipping his glass of faux sparkling wine.

"Your mother and her matchmaking!" she snarled.

He laughed and leaned against the wall. "It's pretty apparent tonight, isn't it?"

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "It was bad enough having your father _oh-so-coincidentally_ bring home an employee every time I was invited to dinner at your place." She slapped his bicep when he snickered into the glass. "Tonight she's practically shoving me into the arms of a different man whenever I get free."

"Now, Kotoko," he rested his forehead on hers, "that just shows her lo-o-ove for you."

She shoved him away with a mild oath. "Can't she at least let me sit down for a few minutes? I haven't had more than three bites to eat all night!" As if on cue, her stomach let out a growl.

He handed her his glass and placed his hand on her back as he guided her back in. "Let me see if my skills are advanced enough to out-maneuver Mom."

Sure enough, he had only filled Kotoko's plate halfway when Mrs. Irie zoomed in on her again. "Kotoko-chan! Isn't this one of your favorite songs?" She pulled her away and indicated across the room. "That young man over there practically begged for an introduction. Won't you—"

Her sentence broke off when Yuuki unceremoniously dragged Kotoko from her grasp. "Give it a rest, Mom. Kotoko is going to faint from hunger if you keep this up. Plus," he leaned to whisper in her ear, "if you continue pushing her on Dad's employees, it's just going to make her look desperate." He straightened. "Leave her in peace for a while. I'll stay nearby and keep unwanted suitors away."

"At this late in the day, I don't know that _any_ suitor would be unwanted," Mrs. Irie muttered.

"Never underestimate the attractive power of unavailability," he teased.

His mother sniffed. "Oh, all right! But not all night! We still have a couple hours to go and four more men to get to."

Kotoko sighed as she flounced away. "Even having me appear desperate didn't stop her for long, did it?"

"You heard that?" Yuuki grinned down as he transferred more shrimp to her plate. "Sorry, that was just a bargaining chip."

"I understand." She indicated some grilled vegetables. "I hope the rest of them dance better than the last one. If I hadn't worn closed-toe shoes, I'd have bruised feet tomorrow."

"No need to worry." He held out a chair and seated her. "I'll take you out on the floor. It will take an extremely brave person to steal his future boss's dance partner."

"My hero!" she mock-sighed, right before her eyes gleamed and she began digging into her food. Coming up for air a few minutes later, she blinked and asked, "'Future boss'? I remember way back, when you dreamed of being Irie-kun's second in command." She nodded her head toward the table on the dais where Chairman Oizumi was holding court. "Now even Irie-sama has to defer to _him_. Are you planning a revolution?"

"Not quite yet," Yuuki admitted. "While the name is still Pandai, it might just as well have Oizumi on the stationery. Right now, even in semi-retirement, that old man has his finger in everything that we do, but I have something that he doesn't." When Kotoko blinked inquiringly at him, he leaned over and whispered, "Youth and patience."

She laughed at that. "Well, you're smart enough that you can be good at whatever you do. If Pandai doesn't work out, I'll hire you to run my office!"

He flicked her on the forehead. "That would take me, what? An hour a day? No," he gave her a small smile, "Onii-chan and I have a plan up our sleeves, but we can't tell anyone yet. We're not sure if everything's going to pan out."

"Well, whatever it is," Kotoko told him soberly, "I hope that you can have your dream."

"Don't act so serious!" he chaffed her. "I'm still in high school. I have the world before me!"


	6. Chapter 6

Yuuki was glad that his three years of high school were coming to an end, and not solely for the non-stop comparisons with Naoki ("I can't believe you're so friendly. Not at _all_ like your brother!"). To show that he was even more out of step with his classmates, who were bemoaning the fact that they would soon be shedding the prestigious rank of sempai for kouhai, he felt that nothing of that sort would change. Indeed, he believed that his internship with Pandai (actually more like part-time assistant to his father) and the frequent calls from Kotoko for business advice had well-suited him for life beyond the school gates. _And speaking of Kotoko_ , he sighed as he recognized the pop music ringtone before pulling out his phone, first making sure no teachers were around.

"Yuuki-kun! I just read in the Nikkei Shimbun that something's going on with Pandai stock! Is everything all right?!"

"Hush, baka!" He rolled his eyes. "Legally, I can't say anything official, but remember when we were discussing patience at the Christmas party?

"Ooh!" she squealed. "Does that mean—?"

"Ssh! Just chill out and pretend you didn't hear anything."

"Oh, okie-dokie! My lips are sealed! Bye!"

He shook his head as he tucked the cell away in his jacket pocket. "Was that your mysterious girlfriend that you won't introduce to us?" Kinoshita slapped him on the back as he approached from behind.

"Hey!" he protested. "Stop making up stuff," he growled while rubbing his neck with clouded eyes and a slight flush.

"I'm not making stuff up. She's all the swim team talks about. They say she's at every one of the events, even sitting with your mother! Say," he tugged on his jacket to halt his pace, "are you having to make a business marriage so young?"

Yuuki gave him a shove. "I thought you were going into law, not sensational journalism. Now, stuff it!"

"Then why else do you refuse all the girls in school?" the other boy complained. "Like that Yashiro! Have you seen the size of her—"

"Shut up, I said!" Yuuki stomped away.

* * *

Kotoko checked out the new equipment that Mrs. Irie had purchased for Yuuki's graduation ceremony. Although by now well-accustomed to helping his mother immortalize his competitions and celebrations, she and technology had periodic battles, especially since Mrs. Irie upgraded about every six months.

"He and his father have been irritatingly secretive the past few weeks," the matriarch complained. "Plus they come in so late that we never have dinner together."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Obasama," Kotoko replied absently as she explored each button and dial on the video recorder. While she herself was dying to know, she at least had an idea what was going on.

"But what if Papa has another problem with his health without me watching him all the time?" she fretted.

"Come on," Kotoko assured her, "Yuuki-kun isn't going to let anything happen to him. Yikes! Why did the screen go suddenly blank?!"

* * *

Compared to Kotoko's and Naoki's graduation ceremony, Yuuki's was blessedly uneventful. Several hours later, after most guests had left the party at the Irie home, Kotoko plopped down on the couch next to him. "I'm sorry that your brother couldn't make it."

He shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. He's already given me my gift."

"Really?" She sat up straight. "What is it? A car? A trip? Or maybe—?"

Yuuki laughed. "Yes, it's what I was talking about earlier. That old fart Oizumi will finally announce his full retirement tomorrow. While he was in the process of letting loose of control, Onii-chan used his added authority to separate the toy and video game sections of Pandai. So in a few days we'll both own a piece of it. At last it will be completely back in Irie hands."

"Ah!" she exclaimed, pointing. "You can finally use your notebook of toy ideas!"

"Yes," he smiled, "pretty soon I'll see which ones are worth implementing."

"Now all three of us have a business to run!" She grinned tearily. "And I never would have had mine without you!" she said as she hugged him, sniffing a little. Turning away, she took another sip of her drink. "Despite our rocky start, for these past few years you've been one of my closest friends, Yuuki-kun. I'll not be forgetting that. However," she rose and looked over at the older generation, "before I get as trashed as them and turn any more maudlin, I've got to get myself to bed. Morning comes early for us executives, you know."

As she stood up, Mrs. Irie called blearily across the room. "No need to travel, Kotoko-chan! Just spend the night here. You can use Onii-chan's old room."

Kotoko laughed. "Thank you for the offer, Obasama, but I will rest better in my own place." She indicated her father, who was already snoring next to Mr. Irie, now gazing into an unsteady wine glass. "You might want to pour Otosan into one of your beds, though."

Yuuki rose also. "Are you sure, Kotoko?"

She raised her eyebrows. "I'm still a klutz, you know. If I wake up in an unfamiliar room, I'm bound to stumble around and awaken those who indulged more than I have," she jerked her head in the direction of the parents, "and need the rest."

"Then I'll see you back to the apartment." He ignored all her refusals, and they donned the light jackets needed to cut the early spring evening's chill.

* * *

Kotoko sighed dreamily as they ascended the stairs to the apartment. "Tonan High School graduation! How long ago mine was! Those old memories..."

"Yeah," Yuuki laughed. "I remember Mom's video of you falling down the steps of the stage."

She covered her face with her hands. "Don't remind me! And what was worse, later that evening, in front of both our classes, I got into such an argument with Irie-kun..." Her voice trailed off. "He ended up kissing me afterwards. I never found out why he did it, but the foolish little girl that I was back then made _such_ a romantic fantasy out of that one kiss."

Yuuki remained silent until Kotoko turned the key in the lock. "It wasn't a fantasy," he muttered.

"Hmm?" She turned to him, blinking, as she tucked an errant lock of hair behind an ear.

"Onii-chan _did_ love you. And it wasn't just _one_ kiss," he stated. When Kotoko stared at him, wide-eyed, he stumbled on. "At Romance Village, when you were napping under the tree—he kissed you again."

"I thought that was a dream!" Kotoko breathed in wonder. She turned her face up to Yuuki. "But he still chose another." She shrugged and gave a small smile.

Yuuki's touch was light on her forehead as he brushed back the stubborn hair that had fallen free again. "He was confused and weak, but _I'm_ not." He leaned in and kissed the startled young woman—Once! Twice!—and opened the door behind her to gently shove her inside. "Now you've received two kisses apiece from the Irie men. Let me know if you want to break the tie." He laughed at her dumbstruck expression as he pushed up her chin to close her mouth. "There's no hurry," he reassured her. "After all, I've waited almost ten years!" Then, with a wide grin, he shut the door and left her to back into and fall onto the coffee table, eyes wide and fingers touching her lips.

* * *

 **A/N: Finally to the point where the previous story stopped. We'll be covering new ground from here on out.**


	7. Chapter 7

As familiar with Kotoko as he was, Yuuki was not surprised when she made no attempt to contact him in the next two weeks. Knowing that she still occasionally helped out at her father's restaurant, he showed up right at closing one evening.

Her face flaming, she tried to duck her head and sneak past him. He effortlessly caught her arm. "Going home so early?" he asked in a pleasant but firm voice. "I'll keep you company then."

He ignored her stammered protestations and kept a tight grip on her. Her heartbeat slowly settled down as they walked silently together. He turned them towards the familiar park and guided her toward the bench they had sat at a number of years ago.

He finally spoke. "Took you by surprise, didn't it?"

Her fingers intertwined in constant motion. "Yuuki-kun, maybe you mistook the alcohol for juice that night…"

"I was not inebriated," he averred. "I told you I had someone I liked but that I hadn't told yet. It just wasn't the right time until then."

"Why would you think any time would be the right time?" she asked. "I'm nine years older than you! Plus, I nursed a five-year crush on your brother. Why would you even _look_ in my direction?"

He slid down and rested his neck on the back of the bench and looked at the stars peeking through the clouds. "I don't know. I always had strong feelings toward you—negative at first," he chuckled, "but they started to change after you saved me from drowning that one summer. Of course, for a couple years I thought you'd be my sister, then Onii-chan…"

"Yeah," Kotoko sniffed. "That changed a lot of lives. But still—"

"You know, I decided to learn to swim after that incident," he returned to his earlier statement, turning to her. "You had saved my life, and I wanted to have the ability to save someone else." He chuckled. "Never have used my lifesaver certification, though."

Kotoko touched his arm hesitantly. "You did save me in one way, Yuuki-kun. Becoming my friend at my lowest point, and always encouraging me, even pointing me in the right direction. So don't feel like you owe me anything."

"Actually, I'd like for you to feel like **_you_** owe **_me_ **something." He sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Like, maybe just give me a chance?"

She averted her eyes. "This is so sudden," she complained weakly.

He grasped her hand firmly. "It's only sudden for you," he insisted. "I've been living with these feelings for several years." He squeezed her hand so tightly that she turned back to him. "Look, I didn't say anything until I graduated because I figured you'd freak out, and I wouldn't have a chance with you worrying about what others would say."

Kotoko nodded. "You got that right."

"See?" He gave her a crooked grin. "I know you well. And in return, you know me too." She nodded and his voice deepened in seriousness. "I tell the truth. Sometimes I'm blunt with it, as you have experienced numerous times, but I didn't want to wait around and maybe lose my chance. I'm not planning to make the same mistakes as Onii-chan."

"Sti-i-i-ill," Kotoko drawled, obviously marking time until she could think up another argument.

"You see, I think my negotiation skills are better than his," Yuuki's voice suddenly took on a more cheerful cast. "For example, if you look at it in a certain way, we've been dating for years."

"What?!"

"Movies, plays, festivals. We've even gone on overnight trips together," he grinned at her, wagging his eyebrows up and down.

"You—!" Kotoko was unable to find words.

"Yes, the way I see it, you have been leading me on for a long time. Always holding my hand, hugging me, even kissing me several times, and now you're all bent out of shape over just two little kisses that I gave you in return! I may have to sue you for breach of promise."

"Th-there was no promise! And those were cheek kisses I gave you!" Kotoko rose and began to rant at him, still sitting on the bench. "And you can't joke away the age difference."

"No, but maybe I can 'logic' it away," he said slowly.

"Huh?" was her only response as he rose and began walking again with her.

"In some ways you're younger than your actual physical age. For example, all of those activities that you like are more for the high school and college level—and don't try to tell me it's just because of the tour business! Your purse is Hello Kitty, your keychain is Sailor Moon, and I bet if I hacked your iTunes account, it would be full of Japanese boy band albums."

"Hmph!" Kotoko raised her chin and refused to meet his eyes.

"Am I right?" he asked, amused. When she made no reply he added, "If you don't deny or show it to me, I'll assume that I'm correct."

She mumbled toward the shoulder that was farthest from him. With a little pressure she repeated, "Some of the boy bands are Korean."

Yuuki wrapped his arms around her as he hooted in laughter. She gave up struggling against his strength rather quickly. "See?" he whispered. "You're not that old. And just think about it, I'm a business executive already."

"Yes," she admitted, "but also a college student."

He relaxed his hold. "I may not go." Before she could begin squawking, he amended that statement. "I might take some courses, but what I've learned at Father's side is more practical than any class that I could take. Not to mention that I know he's eager to retire and travel with Mother while he still has his health."

"Yes," Kotoko agreed, easily diverted. "More trips to see the grandkids."

Yuuki laughed. "To spoil them and try to shake them up." He took Kotoko's hand in his and pulled it to his chest. "Why don't we continue as we were before? We have fun together and enjoy each other's company already. We'll keep that and slowly take it up a notch as we go along."

"Ai!" Kotoko cried, beating her temple with a fist. "I don't know! My brain keeps remembering you as a child!"

He leaned down and gave her a deep kiss. "Does this remind you of a child's kiss?"

Kotoko stared up at him. "No."

He paused a moment. "Does it remind you of Onii-chan's kisses?"

"No. He never kissed me like _that_."

Yuuki laughed. "Good." His lips touched her forehead lightly. "So stop stressing."

* * *

For the week or so, their work schedules conflicted to the point that they were only able to communicate by phone. When they finally found free time, they decided on a low-key date with take-out food and a video rental at the Aihara apartment. As the credits rolled, Yuuki turned to Kotoko. "Did you choose a horror movie to scare me off?"

Kotoko's fingers played with the hem of her blouse. "Not really. I didn't want to watch a romantic one with you...quite yet."

He leaned on the opposite arm rest and sighed. "'Quite yet'? Tell me what you mean by that."

"I can't just flip a switch and change the way I look at you," she burst out. "I like you, but...it's difficult."

"I'm only asking for a fair chance," he said in a composed tone.

"And I'm _trying_ ," she stressed. "I'm thinking about us...seriously."

"So," Yuuki drawled, staring at the television, now showing the end-of-DVD copyright notice, "during this 'thinking' time, is it hands-off?"

When he received no answer, he turned to face her. Blushing wildly, Kotoko shook her head.

He let out a breath and reached to pull her close. "You are in _so much_ trouble." Several minutes later, he tore himself free and gave her a playful kiss on the nose. "That's enough for tonight." He laughed at the sight of her staring at him dazedly and gave her one more. "I'll let myself out."

She only came to herself when she heard the door click. "What?" She looked around them slumped backwards. "No fair!"


	8. Chapter 8

After several weeks of Yuuki ending their dates by kissing her into a stupor then abruptly leaving, Kotoko was at her wit's end. After getting nowhere trying to figure it out herself, she finally resorted to the time-honored tradition of wine, ice cream and girlfriends.

Even after unburdening herself for almost an hour, her mind was still so unsettled that she was grumpier than usual, complaining about anyone and anything. "And why did you have to give your daughter a name so similar to his?" Kotoko whined from the floor of Satomi's living room.

Satomi tossed one of Yuki's toddler crackers in her face. "It's the name of Ryo's aunt. And you are seriously driving yourself— _and us_ —crazy over this."

"Boil it down for me. What's the problem?" Jinko asked. "You should be overjoyed. You finally have an Irie interested in you. Ow!"

"Yes, Kotoko," Satomi put in, "what _is_ the problem? He likes you, plus he is being extraordinarily patient."

"Yeah," Jinko added, "almost eerily so. I never heard of an eighteen-year-old male who had the will-power to just stop at kisses that many times. Are you sure you're telling us everything?"

"Mind out of the gutter, Jinko!" Satomi chided her. "Kotoko, I don't think you'd be this troubled if you didn't like him back."

"But I remember that little brat I used to live with!" Kotoko wailed. "I even watched him grow up."

"So?" Satomi's expression didn't change. "My parents were childhood sweethearts and watched each other grow up."

Kotoko picked up the cracker on her face and sat up, munching on it. "I'm still older. Nothing will change that."

"Age will only tie you down if you let it," advised Satomi. "Anyway, you've always been immature."

"Hey!" she protested.

"Yeah! That's right!"

"You too, Jinko," Satomi added drily. She leaned over and pounded the top of Kotoko's head. "Look at the here-and-now. Does he act mentally immature?"

Kotoko paused and thought. "No. He's been a great help with my business and is getting ready to take over the Tokyo office of Pandai." She inspected her toenails closely. "He even says it's good that I have my own company to keep me occupied whenever he gets tied up late."

"Sounds like he has his head on straight," Jinko said.

"Unlike some people I know," muttered Satomi. "Then how about physically?" When Kotoko opened her mouth, she held up an index finger. "Don't think of the past, and answer honestly."

Kotoko flopped back onto the floor. "He is…" she fiddled with her hair, "...a man."

"I knew it!" Jinko whooped as she grabbed her arm and tugged her back up. "Is his body as good as Irie-kun's at that age?" Satomi hissed but did not silence her as the two friends watched Kotoko's face slowly darken to crimson.

Kotoko, realizing that Yuuki's swimming attire had revealed a lot more of his body that she had ever seen of Naoki's, sought an answer that would not set them off even further. Finally she said, "He's not quite as tall."

"Shoot, we can see that for ourselves!" Jinko was disappointed that nothing juicier was being shared.

Satomi patted her shoulder in consolation then addressed Kotoko. "Then, if you have no reason to assume that his stated emotions are insincere, I don't know why you're hesitating. You've had no trouble telling other men to back off, so you must have _some_ romantic feelings for him. Hmm?" she waved her hand in an obvious encouraging gesture. When all Kotoko did was cover her face with her hands, she hissed in disgust and said, "Look, do as he suggested and keep on as you have."

"Right!" Jinko added, sobering. "If it doesn't work out, all you'll be losing is a little time. And if it does, well, 'happy ending' for you!"

"The annual trip to the beach is coming up soon, right?" When Kotoko nodded, Satomi urged her, "Forget about the idea that you're robbing the cradle, relax a bit, and maybe things will become clearer."

"And don't forget to send us some cell phone shots of him so we can judge his manliness personally!"

Satomi swatted her friend with a pillow then turned to Kotoko. "Ignore her. I have a good feeling about this. Let the fresh ocean air blow the cobwebs away." Her hands fluttered through the air to indicate gentle breezes.

"Seems like a plan," Kotoko said thoughtfully.

"Besides," Satomi added briskly, "if you don't take him out of contention, you're handing over a different age-gap romance for _me_ to deal with."

"Huh?" asked the two designated immature ones.

Satomi pointed to her daughter, napping on a quilt made by Mrs. Irie. "You know my Yuki-chan adores him. I don't want a son-in-law _that_ close in age to me."


	9. Chapter 9

Yuuki waded out of the shallows, shaking his head with a smile. Ever since their arrival on the beach, Kotoko had remained huddled under the umbrella with his mother. Well, that was going to have to change!

He eased onto the blanket, ignoring the fact that she almost cringed away from him. "Mom," he said, "didn't you say that you wanted matching earrings for that new sundress you bought earlier?" At his mother's nod, he added, "I thought I saw some in that shop over there."

"Really!" Mrs. Irie's face brightened as if a spotlight had been aimed at her. "Kotoko-chan! Let's go check it out."

"Nah," Yuuki drawled, clamping a hand on Kotoko's wrist, "I'm going to try to convince Kotoko to go in the water. Take Dad with you."

"Oh, yes, you've been keeping me company today, haven't you?" His mother suddenly looked alarmed. "And here I've been chatting non-stop and not letting you play! Go now! Papa, come on!"

Mr. Irie made a resigned expression and rose out of his beach chair. Once the parents were out of earshot, Yuuki turned to Kotoko. "Why have you turned into a hermit?"

Kotoko tugged on her hand to no avail then admitted, "I don't know how to act in front of your parents when we're hardly wearing any clothes."

Yuuki sputtered with laughter at her embarrassment. "What the—? This isn't our first beach trip together. I've seen you in a swimsuit before, and with all my competitions, you've certainly seen _me_. Besides, we're dating now."

Kotoko looked behind them then hissed, "But **_they_** don't know that yet."

He rolled his eyes. "Just act like you did before we started going out."

"I can't remember how!" she wailed.

"Oh, for the love of—!" Yuuki hauled her to her feet and ignored her squeal of protest when he pulled the hoodie over her head. He picked up her oversized swim ring and dragged her to the water.

"But our things!" she cried.

"They'll be just fine. Besides," he glanced over his shoulder, Mom and Dad are already on their way back." He added with a wicked grin, "That shop doesn't sell jewelry. Come in willingly or I'll carry you."

"Tch!" Kotoko grabbed the ring from his arm and stomp-splashed into the water.

He followed close behind, enjoying the view, then dragged her beyond the preschoolers in the shallows until the buoyant float bobbed gently with the waves. Leaning forward in the ring, she rested her chin on her folded arms and pouted, "What if I didn't want to go in the water?"

He laid one arm over the ring. "Complaining again?" he teased as his other arm disappeared under water.

"No!" She tried to shove him back and only succeeded in falling through the the middle, bobbing back up after a second.

He wiped water off her forehead. "People should be more careful when they're in over their head."

She glared at him. "I never should have let you know I was ticklish!"

"Oh, I would have found out eventually," he said, leaning closer.

Kotoko sputtered, "Your parents can see us here!"

"Okay, okay," he grumbled. He rotated her slightly until her back was to the shore then bent down. "Your lips taste salty, shorty," he said, rubbing his nose to hers.

"So do yours," she whispered back, then blinked and stared at him as if mesmerized. When had that familiar face become so dear to her? "I think the fresh air worked, just like Satomi said."

"What does that mean?" asked Yuuki.

"Never mind." She looked over her shoulder. "Are you sure they can't see us?"

"Positiv—!" Yuuki's happiness at discovering that his feelings were returned was mitigated by the fact that he lost his footing when she impetuously grabbed him around the neck. "Don't drown me, woman!"

Still afloat with the ring, Kotoko smiled at him, "Then I'd just pull you out of the water again."

* * *

Adjusting the blanket, Mrs. Irie complained, "I don't know why that son of yours sent us off on a wild goose chase! I didn't see any earrings there."

"Neither did I, my dear," Mr. Irie agreed, tilting his hat down over his eyes. He wished that his friend Aihara had been able to accompany them this year and make the trip more bearable.

"Well, while those two are away, we can decide how we're going to get our schedules in sync!" She sent the conversation in an entirely new direction. "Every time you have a young man over for dinner, Kotoko-chan has other plans! This is very frustrating for me," she fretted.

"Dear, have you ever noticed that frequently _Yuuki_ doesn't join us for dinner on those evenings?"

"Why are you bringing _him_ up, Papa? I need you to _focus_! It's Kotoko-chan I'm concerned about now!"

"Of course, Mama, of course. I don't know what came over me," he soothed her while watching the waves roll in. _It's her own fault for being too vain to wear glasses,_ he sighed, _else she would have quite an eyeful. Come to think of it, maybe it is a good thing that Ai-chan_ **i** **sn't** _here!_

* * *

Kotoko lay on her bed sleeplessly watching the ceiling. A slight vibration and the shock of light from her cell phone startled her.

"RU awake?" A text from Yuuki! She typed quickly. "Yes." After a moment, she had to stifle a yelp when the reply read, "Coming in".

 _No, no!_ she thought. _Not here!_ Mr. and Mrs. Irie were just in the next room. What in the world was he thinking?

She waved her hands in frantic negative signals when he slowly and silently opened her door. Closing it behind him, he placed a finger over his lips then walked to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Don't worry," he breathed. "I can predict what you're thinking. I just want to hold you for a little bit."

Kotoko closed her eyes and took a deep breath before scooting over. He quickly crawled under the covers and pulled her to him. Her face, which had been hidden in his chest, raised when she felt his whole body shaking in laughter.

"Did you really think that I'd try something with Mom within earshot?" he whispered in her ear. "She'd be cracking open the door, video camera in hand."

"Yeah," Kotoko giggled quietly. "I should have remembered that you were smarter than that."

"That's right." He kissed the top of her head. "Kotoko?" he asked after a moment.

"Mmm?" she murmured as she shifted position slightly.

"Tell Mom that you have other plans on your birthday."

"But she always enjoys making such a fuss!" she protested. "I couldn't—"

He squeezed her. "I want to celebrate with you."

She ducked her head and tugged his collar. "But what about Obasama's party?"

"I'd prefer a private party of our own," he whispered seductively. His mouth moved from her ear and began nipping down her neck to her collarbone.

"Ack!" she squeaked out loud then clamped both hands over her mouth and stared at him wide-eyed. Through the thin walls they heard Mrs. Irie say sleepily, "Papa, roll over, you're snoring again."

Yuuki buried his face on her chest, shoulders shaking with laughter. Finally he levered himself up into a seated position, Running his thumb over her bottom lip, he said, "Birthday, Kotoko. You and me. Alone."

She nodded and he departed as quietly as he had entered.


	10. Chapter 10

Kotoko roused slightly. That had been a most...interesting dream. When she rolled onto her stomach and discovered that instead of her BTS nightshirt, she was wearing only Yuuki's birthday gift (a sapphire-studded, heart-shaped necklace), she realized it was oh-too-real. She slid her eyes over just far enough to recognize the profile on the pillow next to her before closing her eyes tightly and stifling a squeal.

* * *

The evening had started on a slightly embarrassing note. While Kotoko had never been known for her "smarts" she knew what Yuuki's plans entailed. She had managed to squeeze all her needed items into a large over-the-shoulder bag, but exiting the taxi in front of the luxurious hotel, she felt as if all eyes were on her.

Yuuki met her just inside the entrance. Without a word he had taken the bag to an attendant, and before she could blink it had been whisked into the elevator. Her date returned with a smile and guided her into the restaurant with a firm hand under her elbow.

Any further trepidation faded during the meal. Yuuki showed no hesitation in ordering an overabundance of dishes, teasing her about her fabled appetite. Their long acquaintance had her shooting insults right back at him. The atmosphere changed slightly when he held out her chair and led her to a small dance floor near the darkened lounge.

"Yuuki!" she hissed. "This is a bar! You're underage!"

He laughed into her ear, sending tingles down her spine. "As long as I don't try to order anything, they won't bother with me." He held her close and swayed to the sultry jazz music. Several minutes later, realizing that they were not about to be summarily ejected, Kotoko's tension eased. After about half an hour, he whispered one word, "Ready?"

Despite the fact that she had quickly nodded, her nervousness returned as the elevator ascended. His hand on her waist, Yuuki rolled his eyes. Just as he had predicted!

Kotoko had not actually anticipated an immediate assault as soon as she entered the room, but neither did she expect a small birthday cake with a lit candle. Her cry of glee as she ran to the table revealed that she had once more relaxed.

"Look! It has Hello Kitty on it!" She waved to Yuuki to approach, which he did after removing his jacket.

Loosening his tie as he walked over, he commented, "What a surprise!"

She grabbed his face down for a quick kiss, then pinched one of his cheeks hard. "Stupid! I know you ordered this." She let him go and bent down to blow out the flame. "But why isn't the cake bigger?"

His arms encircled her from behind. "Because we don't need leftovers," he murmured. "Don't forget that Mother only agreed to a one-day delay in your celebration. We'll have a four layer monstrosity tomorrow night."

She tilted her head to the side as his mouth moved to her neck. "You know, Yuuki, I'm not that hungry at the moment."

Her back hit the bed in a matter of seconds. "I was hoping you would say that!"

* * *

Her reminiscences came to a halt when the other person in the bed woke and suddenly rolled over on top of her. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said gently.

"G-good morning, Yuuki," she managed, lowering her eyes and blushing.

"Kotoko!" He tilted her chin up. "Still embarrassed?"

Riled a bit, she glared at him. "Well, it's new to me. It's going to take some getting used to."

Yuuki winked at her. "It's new to me too, and I don't mind helping you get used to it." He ran his fingers up her midriff to catch her off-guard before shifting his weight.

"Again?!" Kotoko asked.

"Come on," he pushed hair off her forehead, "I'm a male in my sexual peak! What I lack in experience, I make up for in enthusiasm."

After a shower and room-service breakfast, she paused in the middle of applying mascara and asked, "Had you really not...uh...before?"

Interpreting the question, Yuuki walked over to her, barefoot. "Why should I have gone to some other woman when the one I wanted was right in front of me? Besides," he hugged her, "you kept using our age difference as an obstacle, but you were in the same position."

She scowled at him. "Well, even though I never dated anyone seriously—despite my advanced age!—it still seemed like you knew what you were doing."

"Seriously, Kotoko, have you never heard of AV?" He picked up a brush and began to draw it through her hair. "It's a rite of passage for teenage boys. If you're interested, we can watch some together."

"Yuuki!" Her face showed her shock even more than her voice. "What if someone found the disks?"

He shook his head and met her eyes in the mirror. "Get in the twenty-first century, my dear doofus. It's all on the Internet. You just have to make sure to erase your history." He applied himself to her hair again, humming absently.

Kotoko reached around and stilled his hand before turning to face him. "Yuuki?" She ran a finger over the line of his eyebrow. "You're erasing my heartbreak history." His eyes widened as she continued. "The longer I'm with you, the more those memories disappear in the mist."

When his arms surrounded her and pulled her close, she felt as if she could stay in their protection all day.

Unfortunately, time stops for no one. Especially when Mrs. Irie was involved. Her ringtone chimed forth loudly from Kotoko's phone. "Could you answer and put it on speaker?" she asked. "I need to finish my makeup before check-out time."

"Kotoko-chan!" Her voice echoed in the bathroom. "I hope you're looking forward to your birthday party tonight!"

"Certainly, Obasama." She shot a glance at Yuuki. "How many layers are on my cake this year?"

"How many—? Four, although I don't know why you'd ask."

Kotoko mouthed, "You were right", but Mrs. Irie continued on, unabated.

"That's not the most important thing. I want you to wear that blue dress with the printed orchids tonight."

Kotoko's stomach fell in anticipation of the reply to her next question. "Why?"

"Papa is bringing home a young attorney that was recently hired by the company's legal division. He's from a good family and graduated from Kyushu University. I know that he will enjoy meeting you. Why!" she exclaimed as if it had just occurred to her, "you could show him around Tokyo, as familiar as you are with your touring routes."

"Um, Obasama..." Yuuki placed his hand over her mouth while also muting the phone's speaker.

"So much for telling the family tonight," he said with a half smile. He kissed Kotoko between her frantic eyes. "We'll let her have her party, but if he makes any moves he's out of a job!" He removed his hand to kiss her quickly then restored the phone's setting.

Kotoko punched his arm but replied calmly, "I'll be on time this evening. Don't worry." After she hung up after Mrs. Irie's additional wardrobe and hairstyle suggestions, she turned to Yuuki. "As if he'd try anything with his bosses looking on." She gnawed on her bottom lip. "But how are we going to tell her that you and I…"

"Easily enough." He smiled and opened his arms, and she walked right into them. "But her underhanded methods of finding you a suitor will cost her." When Kotoko looked at him in enquiry, he informed her, "We'll let your father know first." Luckily his reflexes were quick enough to catch her when her legs collapsed.


	11. Chapter 11

Yuuki held Kotoko's elbow firmly. "Relax."

"Easy for you to say," she hissed as they entered her father's restaurant. "I don't know why we have to tell everyone now!" She smiled at the approaching man.

Odawara greeted them almost immediately. "Hello, Little Miss! Young Master Irie!" Yuuki pulled a face at the appellation. "Heh, heh. It's a lot quieter now that Kinnosuke has left and started his own restaurant, huh?"

"That's right." Kotoko smiled at the older man, her father's right-hand for over a decade.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

Yuuki took over. "A small pitcher of sake and glasses. And could you please ask Aihara-san to join us over there?" He leaned over to whisper, "I don't want to sneak around anymore. And since I'm sure that your friends know about us, it's only fair that our families be on equal footing. And just think," he winked at her, "you won't have to avoid any more of Mother's blind dates!"

She glared at him. "Okay then, but _you_ get to do the talking."

In the corner booth that had hosted numerous tutoring sessions, Mr. Aihara faced them across the table with a pleasant expression, unaware of what the next few minutes would bring.

"Aihara-san, I am in love with your daughter," Yuuki announced as he slid a cup of sake towards Kotoko's father. He almost handed one to the young woman beside him, pale and shaking, except that he well remembered her low tolerance for spirits.

Mr. Aihara's eyes widened as he pointed to Kotoko, then to Yuuki, then back to Kotoko. Yuuki nodded and he grasped the sake and swallowed it in one gulp. His eyes teared as he coughed and pounded his chest. "When?" he managed to finally gasp.

"For my part, the past few years," Yuuki calmly informed him then nodded at Kotoko. "It has taken me several months to convince her to take me on."

He turned to the other person at the table. "And you, Daughter?"

Kotoko played with her hands nervously. "Strange as it may seem, I love him too."

"Hmm." Mr. Aihara stared at his hands, flat on the table. After several moments he glanced at the two. "Kotoko!" he barked, "Yuuki-kun can't drink yet. Go get him something from the back." After her departure he stared at Yuuki. "My daughter hasn't had an easy time with love."

"I am well aware of that," Yuuki acknowledged.

"Are you really sincere?" He leaned forward.

"Aihara-san, if I wasn't, I wouldn't have insisted that we tell you. You may have noticed that Kotoko is the one showing the nerves."

"Ha," her father laughed shortly.

Yuuki's voice became serious. "I want her at my side for the rest of my life."

Mr. Aihara gaped at him. "Marriage?"

Seeing Kotoko returning, Yuuki answered quickly, "Yes, but I still have a ways to go to convince her. Hopefully, when Mom gets the news, she'll be able to hurry things along."

"The Missus has that habit when she's enthusiastic," he agreed. He turned to his daughter. "It took you long enough. Do you think anyone would hire you as a waiter if you're that slow?"

Kotoko glared at him. "You moved things around. Here you go, Yuuki. What were you two discussing?"

Yuuki smiled up at her. "Just that I've been crazy about you for about half my life. Ack!" Kotoko, taking advantage of her standing position, had caught him in a headlock.

Mr. Aihara laughed. "Good luck with that one, Son." As he wiped away a tear, he said, "My old friend managed to raise a fine couple of men." He winked at Yuuki. "I think he got better with practice, though!"

* * *

Yuuki escorted Kotoko through the familiar front door of the Irie house. "You know where to go to make yourself comfortable," he said as he kissed her on the cheek. "I need to take this folder to Dad's den so we can discuss it later. And if you see Mom before I get back, don't worry; I've managed to distract her with the truth."

"What does he mean by that?" Kotoko muttered at his back as she slid on the slippers. She was almost through the living room when Mrs. Irie, rushing downstairs with both hands on a loose earring, stopped short upon seeing the younger woman. "Kotoko-chan!" she cried and hugged her happily. "What an unexpected pleasure!"

"Thank you, Obasama." Kotoko returned the embrace.

"You will never believe it!" Mrs. Irie chattered at full speed. "Yuuki-kun is finally going to introduce his girlfriend to the family! I know he has been seeing her for some time, but he absolutely refused to bring her by until now." She leaned in confidentially. "I almost broke out my old disguises but remembered that I had promised to reform."

"Ah, really?" Kotoko pushed a strand of hair behind an ear. She had never even considered a spying Mrs. Irie during her many dates with Yuuki. _And I'm certainly glad of it,_ she thought. _I would have been a total mass of nerves!_

"I know!" Mrs. Irie clapped her hands in glee. "You should stay for dinner as well and meet her too. Then later in the week we can get together and compare notes on her. It will be such fun to have another woman's input!" She opened the cabinet and began to pull out another place setting.

"No, Obasama, that's not necessary," Kotoko began. Yuuki and his father were approaching Mrs. Irie from behind. She cast a desperate plea for help with her eyes.

"Ma, what're you doing?" Yuuki asked, taking the china from her and setting it down.

"Look, Yuuki-kun," she gestured, "Kotoko-chan dropped by for a visit. Tell her that she is more than welcome to stay and meet your young lady." She looked around. "Wait, when did you get here? Are you making her come on her own? Shame on you!" She smacked his chest. "I raised you better than that."

"Mother, calm down," he said slowly as he took away the plate once more. Mr. Irie, a twinkle in his eye, moved to stand beside his wife. Yuuki walked around the table and took Kotoko's hand in his. She, on her part, was now nervously counting stripes in the rug. "Mom, Dad," he nodded at his parents in turn, "Kotoko is the woman that I'm in love with."

Mrs. Irie gasped and clutched the air as her knees buckled. Mr. Irie, having long suspected the now-revealed truth, managed to grab one elbow. Yuuki, quickly made his way back and supported her on the other side. They guided her to the couch, and her husband quickly poured a glass of wine.

At a later point in time, Kotoko thought it amusing that Mrs. Irie's initial response echoed her father's from the night before. Gasping, pointing, gulping alcohol. Her recovery was quick, and soon she was almost shouting in excitement. They finally managed to sit down for the meal, throughout which she said no fewer than seven times, "I can't believe it!" Eventually it sank in and she began to recall the preceding months and chided her son for his secrecy. "All those men that I tried to set her up with. You could have told me to save my efforts."

"I tried, Ma, I tried," he reminded her. "But you wouldn't listen."

"But if I'd known—!" she expostulated.

"Then what would you have done?" he challenged.

Her mouth opened and closed several times like a carp before she laughed sheepishly and admitted, "Probably get in your way."

"That's why you didn't know until now," he said as he selected another bite of food.

He had underestimated the speed of her cunning mind. "So I can start planning now that it's all settled?" she asked.

"Settled?" Kotoko blinked at the question. Still shocked at their immediate acceptance of the relationship, she had zoned out after the fourth denial of belief and had concentrated on the meal, delicious as usual.

"The wedding, of course!"

The entire table grew eerily silent, save for the loud clatter of Kotoko's fork dropping. "Uh, Mom," Yuuki began.

"I can envision it now!" Hands clasped at her chest, Mrs. Irie looked to the sky—or rather, the ceiling. "Yards and yards of lace!" Her outspread arms measured the imaginary fabric. "Flowers galore! We'll need to act quickly," she pointed at her husband, "in order to reserve the best venue. Now, as for the caterers—"

"Mother!" Yuuki stood as he shouted. In a quieter voice he continued, "Do you think you could let me propose to her first?"

Kotoko was blinking rapidly. "Wedding? Propose?" She waved her hands. "Nothing has been said—!"

Yuuki walked around the table and pulled out her chair. "Excuse us for a few minutes," he politely said to his parents.

"Why—!" Mrs. Irie gasped before her husband patted her hand to calm her.

Following Yuuki blindly, Kotoko recognized her surroundings when he closed the door of his bedroom behind them. This was where she had lived when she and her father had first moved in. It no longer resembled the frilly environment of those years. "Yuuki," she began, "Obasama—"

"Hush a minute, please," he begged. He wrapped his arms around her. "Don't let her scare you off like this."

Her stubborn tongue would not be still. "She was talking about marriage. We didn't say anything about that. We haven't talked about that. Why," she looked up at him, "you've barely turned nineteen!"

"I know," he shook her gently. "But we've been trying not to let age bother us, haven't we?"

"But—"

He decided the best way to silence her was one of his more enjoyable activities, so he used that approach. After a few moments he raised his head. "My turn to talk?" he asked. She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I know where I want our relationship to go. You're the one I'm waiting on to catch up. And I don't mind waiting." He kissed her forehead and then rested his there. "As long as we end up together is all that matters."

"I-I want that to," she admitted softly, "but it's going to seem way too sudden to everyone else."

"Damn everyone else!" he swore. "But we'll take as much time as you need to feel comfortable."

She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. "Thank you, Yuuki."

"Don't thank me," he whispered. "Just love me. Although," he added in a louder tone, "you're going to have a real battle on your hands if Mother gets involved. Right, Mom?"

There was a gasp and shuffling noises from the other side of the door. Kotoko laughed. "Oh, we're in for it now!"


	12. Chapter 12

Apparently every Irie wedding was destined to be tabloid fodder. The gossip mongers dug deep to find dirt, but no one could be in the presence of the two for long without seeing that their feelings for each other were genuine. Eventually all shrugged at the age difference. ("After all, it _is_ the twenty-first century," claimed one of the cattier columnists.)

Thanks to Mrs. Irie's "assistance" or "interference" (depending upon who was speaking) the matrimonial timetable proceeded at a pace more quickly than the typical engagement. Although "next week" would have almost been too long for _her_ to wait, the couple's work schedules prevented such a rapid denouement. The relative brevity of the betrothal still caused one reporter anguish, forcing her to rewrite her article entitled "Tokyo's Most Eligible Bachelors."

Because of Kotoko and Yuuki's aforementioned business responsibilities, many details of the event were thus left to the discretion of the woman who called herself the mother of both the bride and the groom. One chore that Mrs. Irie undertook was personally notifying her older son of the upcoming nuptials. If she was expecting some uncharacteristically emotional reaction of either surprise or regret, she was doomed to disappointment. He only replied with composure, "Of course my family will attend." He did not share with her the fact that Yuuki and he had talked at length the day before or that his initial response had been—after a brief pause—a puzzled "Kotoko?" Neither of the brothers ever referred to the conversation that followed again.

* * *

Just as Matsumoto Yuuko had predicted years earlier, Kotoko's wedding was not without hilarity. As her father began to escort her down the aisle, she halted her tottering steps one third of the way in and proceeded to toss aside her ten centimeter-tall sparkling heels. Grabbing several layers of her poufy pearlescent pink skirt in one hand, she handed her bouquet to Mr. Aihara and resumed their progression cheerily, almost skipping the rest of the way to her widely grinning groom. Matsumoto's seatmates heard her give a quiet cheer: "Go, Aihara!"

Ring bearer Irie Shiko had made the mistake of calling the three-year-old flower girl "dumb" at rehearsal the night before. As a result of that foolish action, Takamiya Yuki bounced the petal basket off his head halfway through the ceremony. He spent the entire reception following her around, trying to get her attention. Satomi was overheard telling her husband that she needed "a lot more alcohol" if she was going to end up being in-laws with Naoki.

At the head table, after several rounds of drinks Aihara Shigeo admitted to his longtime best friend that he should have known this was how it was going to end up. "Whenever young Yuuki would show up at the restaurant on Kotoko's night off, he only stayed half as long!" Irie Shigeki nodded and agreed.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Irie was busy telling the caterers, the bartenders, the musicians, and, of course, the photographers how to do their jobs.

Irie Naoki, in search once more for his elder child (sitting, at that moment, under a table patting the exhausted flower girl's hair), paused upon hearing voices in the outside hall.

"Seriously, Kotoko, what have you done to them?" Yuuki asked with laughter in his voice.

After a light slapping sound, Kotoko replied, "It's due to this torture device called a corset that your mother insisted on! It pushes some things in, and some things up."

"Yeah, your waist is really small now!"

She groaned. "It has both good and bad points. The good is that you can't tickle me when I wear this. The bad is that I'm afraid to eat."

"Poor bride. She can't even eat at her own reception."

Glumly Kotoko replied, "We should have just filled out the paperwork and—eek!" she squealed loudly.

Her husband laughed. "See, I _can_ tickle you through it!" After a few moments of silence he added, "But I prefer the softer 'you' without it, even if I have to lose _these_."

After more slaps and giggles, Kotoko warned, "Yuuki, if you mess up this 30,000-yen makeup job—"

"What?"

"I'll set Obasama on you!"

"You mean Okaasan, don't you?"

During the subsequent silence, Naoki wiped his brow and decided to search again in the ballroom. _My younger brother appears to have a more lively sex life that_ **I** _do, and the ink is not yet dry on the registry form!_

* * *

They didn't have much time to enjoy their honeymoon. Former chairman Oizumi passed away in his sleep, and they were called back to Japan.

"I'm not really surprised," Yuuki commented as he folded and repacked clothes. "He was looking pretty frail at the wedding."

Kotoko called from the bathroom. "It's a good thing Onii-chan's family was still there. Imagine having to fly around the world and then turn right back around again!"

* * *

"Oh, Kotoko-chan, it's such a shame about your honeymoon!" Mrs. Irie lamented when they arrived back at the house.

"It's nothing compared to what Sahoko-san's family is going through." Kotoko kissed her mother-in-law. "How is she holding up?"

"She's doing well, but her mother is a basket case! She hasn't left her side. Luckily they brought their au pair to watch the children. Ai!" Mrs. Irie grabbed Kotoko by the shoulders and inspected her face closely. "Three days in Hawaii and you don't even have the _hint_ of a tan."

"The main attraction for honeymooners is not the outdoors," Yuuki informed her drily as he brought in the luggage. "My room, I suppose?"

"Yes, yes, for the time being," his mother replied absently. "Although we need to discuss permanent arrangements, that can wait until later."

* * *

With Sahoko attending her parents, the Irie brothers and Kotoko were called to help greet the guests who arrived at the wake to pay tribute to the fallen patriarch. One old acquaintance was heard to compliment Naoki on his wife's composure and was surprised when he turned toward Sahoko on the other side of the room. "Oh!" he said, startled, "I thought that _she_ —"

Yuuki put his arm around Kotoko's waist. "Sorry, wrong brother."

After a sudden migraine struck the children's au pair, Kotoko volunteered to take charge of them when it became apparent that Sahoko could not handle both her parents and children. By the time the last guest left, she was exhausted. Mrs. Irie lifted Nami from her lap. "I'll take her now. Papa and I will stay over and tend them." She gazed fondly at the sleeping child's face. "After all, we don't get to see them that often."

"Nami-chan wasn't that much of a problem," Kotoko informed her. "But Shiko-kun kept asking for 'Yuki' and at first I thought he meant his uncle." She giggled. "What a tantrum I observed when he rejected my husband to his face."

"See, Kotoko-chan, just a few hours in your presence and already he's a more lively child," Mrs. Irie praised her. "Maybe that girl will feel better tomorrow so you can enjoy the funeral." She stopped talking suddenly, her eyes wide. "That didn't come out exactly the way I meant it."

Kotoko smiled tiredly. "Believe me, there have been plenty of times that I've had to say that same sentence."

Nodding in agreement, Mrs. Irie chuckled. She glanced at the door across the room. "Now, here comes the one you've been waiting on."

Yuuki leaned down and pulled his wife to her feet. "Sorry for leaving you with the little monster," he said, kissing her forehead. He looked around. "Where did you stash the brat?"

"Onii-chan took him up to bed a few minutes ago," Mrs. Irie informed him. "You take your wife home and do the same."

"Gladly, Mom," he said as he bussed her cheek loudly in farewell.

* * *

In late morning five days afterwards, Kotoko was preparing coffee in the kitchen. Concentrating on pouring the hot water, she jumped when Yuuki's arms went around her waist.

"Mm! Smells good!" he whispered in her ear.

"It won't _feel_ so good if you scare me into throwing hot water around," she informed him drily.

"I'll behave," he promised, resting his chin on the top of her head for the remainder of the process. "Tastes great!" he told her after one sip.

"It's still my only guaranteed skill in the kitchen." Kotoko laughed as they clinked cups together. "If it was anything else I prepared, you might want to have the hospital on speed dial."

"I'm not worried," he assured her. "Pandai has great health insurance." He quickly put down his cup when Kotoko decided to turn their conversation into a wrestling match for the jibe. He had just seated himself on the table with her in his lap when they were interrupted by a throat clearing. He pulled his hands from under her shirt and greeted him. "Good morning, Onii-chan."

"Better for some than others," was the wry reply.

"What brings you by the old family home? I thought you'd be packing by now." The American Iries had a mid-afternoon flight for the first leg of their journey home.

"Mom forgot to bring Nami's birthday gift this morning, so she sent me to fetch it." He shrugged. "Much cheaper than shipping it."

"For sure," Yuuki agreed. He stood and set Kotoko on her feet. "I have a pretty good idea where it is. Be right back."

After about ten seconds, Naoki asked, "So, are you and Yuuki going to be staying here from now on?"

"Probably, but exactly _where_ is still up in the air," Kotoko replied. "Okaasan is dithering between redecorating the guest suite for us or possibly moving in there with Otosan and giving _us_ the master suite. Since she'll have twice the redecorating with the second option, we're betting that's how it will turn out."

"I see," was his reply.

Silence ruled the next few minutes as Naoki's gaze moved from Kotoko to the half-empty cups on the table. Finally she could stand it no more. "Onii-chan?" When she got no response, she tried, "Irie-kun?"

He shook himself suddenly. "Sorry. I was lost in thought."

"With what?" asked Yuuki, returning with a gaily wrapped package.

Naoki turned to his brother. "Just choices from the past." He scowled at the elaborate bow attached to the gift. "That's going to get crushed. Mom should know better." Shaking his head, he tucked it under his left arm and extended the other to his brother. "I suppose this is farewell again." He glanced at Kotoko then back to Yuuki. "Come visit us in the States."

He grinned back at him. "Maybe some day." After waving him off at the door, he returned to his wife. "Are you okay?"

"Sure," she replied, surprised. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I thought maybe that brought back memories of your old feelings for him."

Kotoko stared at him in disbelief. "Are you crazy? Do you know that he hardly talks? I think if I had married him, I would have either died of boredom or killed him in frustration."

"Well," Yuuki grinned, "speaking of frustration…"

* * *

 **A/N: That's the "official" end of the story. But for those who wrote in, there will be an appendix with more about their first night together as well as how Naoki took the news. Stay tuned.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here are a couple of embellishments to the story that might have disrupted the plot flow if inserted when they happened. (Also because: "Inquiring minds want to know".)**

* * *

 **Appendix 1: Kotoko's birthday**

Kotoko tilted her head to the side as his mouth moved to her neck. "You know, Yuuki, I'm not that hungry at the moment."

Her back hit the bed in a matter of seconds. "I was hoping you would say that!"

Temporarily breathless, she glared at him, dimple still showing in her cheek. "Really, not at all romantic. Where's the poetry, the wooing…"

Yuuki raised his mouth from her neck as his hands still struggled with her zipper. "What do you think the past few months—and hours—were about?"

"Gotcha!" She flipped him onto his back and straddled him. She leaned down and cupped his face and kissed his mouth gently. "I love you, Yuuki. More than I ever thought I could love...anybody. But," she knocked their foreheads together lightly, "I didn't think you were so clumsy that you couldn't handle a single zipper." She twisted her arms behind her back and lowered it herself.

When that position arched her spine, Yuuki immediately took possession of what was right in front of him, easing the fabric off her shoulders as it loosened.

After a quick gasp, she giggled. "So all those ecchi stories were right. Men _do_ go straight for them!"

He raised his head and kissed her nose. "Sorry for being normal, darling!"

Kotoko lay down beside him. "Sorry for not having so much up there." She sighed as she viewed her assets. "I drank lots of milk but they never grew." Yuuki snorted and she used his distraction to begin unbuttoning his shirt.

"Don't worry," he assured her, laughing, "I won't be like others and complain."

Her fingers stilled. "Others?" Her eyes grew wide. "There haven't been any others. You're the one who knows what he's doing."

"I do?" he asked then shrugged the shirt off. "Well, I guess we'll muddle through somehow."

* * *

A few hours later they sat cross-legged in bed, feeding each other bites of cake. "Oops, I missed your mouth again!' Yuuki said, licking frosting off her cheek.

Kotoko laughed at the sensation. "This has been the best birthday ever! What—?!" Yuuki had suddenly hopped off the bed and was patting down his abandoned jacket. He fished out a rectangular package.

"I knew I forgot something!" he declared, holding it up. "Happy birthday, Kotoko!"

She accepted it with her usual childish excitement. "This had better not be a joke gift like you used to give me," she warned him. Her jaw dropped when she finally opened the hinged box. "Oh! Yuuki!"

He removed the necklace from the case and attached it around her neck. "Sapphires for your birth month, heart because of my love." Their lips met softly and he lay down on the bed, pulling her with him. "Thank goodness for that earthquake," he whispered.

"What earthquake?" she asked absently, holding the pendant above her with an admiring smile.

Grinning at her memory lapse, he rolled over on top of her. "You didn't feel the earth move? Then I guess I'll have to try again!"

* * *

 **Appendix 2: Phone call between brothers**

"Onii-chan," Yuuki began.

"Yuuki! Why are you calling at this hour?" Although it was early afternoon in New York City, Naoki knew well that it was dark in Tokyo.

"I just wanted to bring you up to speed on the news here." Lying on his childhood bed, Yuuki added another pillow to prop himself up.

"So, what's Mom's latest hobby?" His brother laughed. Mrs. Irie had run the gamut from pottery to basket weaving, plus a brief flirtation with glass-blowing until the temperature of the workshop exacerbated her change-of-life hot flashes.

"Ah, how about wedding planning?" _As good a way as any to introduce the topic,_ he thought. "Kotoko and I are getting married."

Yuuki almost thought they had been cut off until Naoki replied softly, "Kotoko?" Then, " _Aihara?_ "

"That's the only one I know,"he replied.

"So...when did this come about?"

"There are two different answers to that—hers and mine. Let me just say that I finally convinced her this year."

"This year? Yuuki, you only graduated high school in March!"

 _So he was going to be that way!_ Yuuki sighed. None of the parents had made that objection. "Is there a particular rule that forbids emotion until the age of majority?" he asked snidely.

"No, but…"

"Onii-chan," he interrupted, "I understand that you chose to close yourself off to love six years ago, but don't deny others the right to enjoy the emotion."

Naoki took a deep breath. "I've not closed myself off to love. I have a deep attachment to Sahoko, and my children are my very life."

"I'm sorry," Yuuki said after a pause. "You and I...there has been a distance between us the last few years, and I'm not talking about physical. I was not aware…"

"No, my apologies," his brother answered. "Over time I've learned that there are different types of love in this world. None are to be disparaged. But as for you, are you sure…?"

"Yes, Onii-chan, I am. And so is she. It hasn't been easy for her, but she has persevered and triumphed in life. I am honored that she was willing to accept me."

"If those are your feelings, then my family will be delighted to share in your joy. When is it?"

Yuuki chuckled. "Well, _that_ is still undecided. I just proposed tonight, and Mom is already investigating locales and musicians."

"Sounds like her." Naoki also laughed.

"So don't be too surprised to hear from her soon."

"I will try to control my delight until that time," his brother answered drily. After hanging up, he stared blindly at the abstract painting on the opposite wall of his office. Echoes of happy laughter and a pair of dancing eyes were brought to the forefront of his mind, the memories as clear as if they were not almost a decade old. He only indulged himself for a moment before shaking his head and calling for his assistant. The past, after all, could not be relived.


End file.
